Lethal gas chambers



3, 1957 T. c. WILLIAMS LETHAL GAS CHAMBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. I 2, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 13, 1957 T. c. WILLIAMS ,4

LETHAL GAS CHAMBERS Filed Sept. 2, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 13, 1957 1'. c. WILLIAMS 2,302,452

LETHAL GAS CHAMBERS Filed Sept. 2, 1955 g4 Sheets-Sheet :5"

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ATTORNEY Ugh-Zed. t- Patent 07 LETHAL GAS CHAMBERS Thomas Clyde Williams, Denver, Colo., assignor to Eaton 1 'Metal Products Co., Denver, Colo., a corporation of '.Colorado I i j Application September 2, 1955, Serial No. 532,264

11 Claims. c1. 128-1) This invention relates to a lethal gas chamber for the execution of contemned criminals and more particularly to a lethal gas chamber of the type illustrated and described in prior Patent No. 2,172,768.

I The principal object of the invention is to provide a gas tight chamber in which the condemned criminal or criminals can be securely enclosed and provided with gas generating equipment, gas exhaust equipment, and gas counteracting equipment, all under the control of one man located at one point so that a complete control can be had of the gas generation and the gas elimination from the executioners position.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the above mechanism so that it will form a building structure to provide rooms for the witnesses, wardon, doctor, and executioner, all grouped about the complete single unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a neat, compact, mechanism which will humanely execute the criminal or criminals with the least possible delay and confusion, and which will allow quick entry after the execution without danger to the attendants.

A further object of the invention is to provide a highly efficient gas generating device for instantly generating the lethal gas and to combine the gas generator with means for creating a preliminary partial vacuum in the chamher to cause rapid entry and rapid dispersion of the gas so that the administration of the lethal dose will require but a minimum of time.

A still further object is to provide a highly efiicient air scavenging and gas neutralizing system which will enable'the attendants to quickly and safely enter the chamber after the execution.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings which forms apart hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all viewsof the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of the improved lethal gas chamber as it wouldappear installed in a building;

Fig. is a fragmentary cross section through the building, taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, illustrating a front view of the improved chamber;

Fig. ,3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the chamber, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; r

Fig. 4"is a similarly enlarged, fragmentary, rear view illustrating a door employed in the chamber;

F igKS is a still further enlarged detail cross section through a gas generating mechanism, employed to create and supply lethal gas to the chamber, taken on the line 5 -5, Fig. 3; I

Fig. 6 is a similar enlarged detail section, illustrating a'gas exhaust valve employed in the chamber, taken 0 the line 66, Fig. 3;

"Fig'iT'is a similar detail section, illustrating an air inthe floor plate 21.

let valve employed on the chamber, taken on the line 7-7,.

Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a control linkage employed for operating an exhaust stack valve on the chamber;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary right-side view of the chamber, illustrating the various control devices;

Fig. 10 is a detail view, illustrating a type of ammonia supply mechanism employed with the improved chamher; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, detail section, taken through the edge of a window in the chamber, illustrating a typical window sealing means employed in the chamber.

The improved lethal gas chamber has been illustrated as it would appear installed in a building structure. In use, the chamber would be provided with a suitable chair or chairs of any suitable type such as shown in prior Patent No. 2,211,239. In the structure, the lethal chamber is installed in a partition plate12 which separates a wardens room 13 from a witness room 14. In the witness room 14 a guard rail 15 is provided which prevents the witnesses from approaching the chamber too closely. Adjacent the wardens and witnesses rooms 13 and 14 is a third room, which will be herein designated as the mixing room 16. A basement room 17 is provided extending from below the improved lethal gas chamber to below the mixing room 16 where access is provided through the medium of a trap door 18. The floor separating the upper rooms from the basement rooms is indicated on the drawing at 19.

The improved lethal gas chamber rests upon the floor 19 mid-way between the rooms 13 and 14. In the following description, the portion of the chamber in the wardens room 13 will be designated as the rear of the chamber, and the portion in the witnesses room 14 will be designated as the front of the chamber.

The chamber comprises a hexagonal metal chamber 20 sealed at its bottom to a flat floor plate 21 and covered by means of ahexagonal, pyramidal roof 22 which is sealed to the side walls of the chamber. Windows 23, preferably of bullet-proof glass, are formed in five of the hexagonal sides of the chamber 20. The glassv windows 23 are sealed to the metal of the chamber and to angle window frames 24 by means of suitable sealing gaskets 25. The frames 24 surround the windows 23 on the exterior of the chamber 20 and are, clamped to the chamber and into sealing engagement with the gaskets 25 by means of suitable clamp bolts 26.

A stack damper sleeve 27 opens through the apexof the roof 22 and is provided with a butterfly type damper valve 28 having a valve stem 29 terminating in an actuating lever 30. The valve 28 can be opened and closed through the medium of a damper lever 31 which is connected through the medium of connecting rods 32 and a rocker 33 with the actuating lever 30 of the damper and which is positioned within convenient reach of the operator at the left of the chamber in the wardens room 13.

An air manifold 34 surrounds the base of the chamber 20 on five of its six sides. The air manifold communicates with the interior of the chamber through the medium of a plurality of screened air openings 35 positioned adjacent Air is admitted when desired to the air manifold 34 through the medium of a bell-shaped air valve 36 positioned within reach of the operator, as shown in Fig. 9. I

The air valve 36 seats against a sealing gasket 37 about Patented Aug. 13, 1957' theair opening 38, through the screened air openings.

35, through the chamber 20, and through the stack sleeve 27 by means of a suitable exhaust fan 4.4 mounted on the chamber roof and driven from a suitable electric fan motor 45 so as to scavenge the chamber to discharge the air and gases to the atmosphere'through any suitable stack 46.

Lethal gas is supplied to the chamber through fgas ports 47, communicating through the floor plate 21 at.

the middle thereof, from a mixing pot 4.8 which is sealed to the floor 19 below the gas ports 47. Acid is fed to the mixing pot 48 when desired through piping, to be later described.

The mixing pot 48 is provided with a funnel plate 49 having an enlarged medial throat surrounded by a flexible, depending skirt gasket 50. A conical pellet valve 51 is suspended within the funnel plate 49 from 3 Valve stem 52. The valve stem 52 is in turn suspended from a lever arm 53 hingedly mounted at its. one extremity upon a supporting standard 54 which is welded or otherwise secured to the floor plate 21.

The lever arm 53 is constantly urged upwardly as to maintain the pellet valve in the closed position within the skirt gasket 50 by means of a compression spring 55 which acts upwardly against a plunger 56 connected with the lever arm 53. The pellet valve 51 can be lowered to the open position from the exterior of the chamber by actuation of an execution lever 57 pivota'lly mounted in a quadrant bracket 58 on the exterior of the chamber adjacent the levers 31 and 39. a

The execution lever 57 rotates avalve shaft 59 extending across the floor plate 21 of the chamber .205

and terminating in a valve-actuating lever 60 which is connected through the medium of a connecting rod 61 with the lever arm 53. The pellet valve 51 is designed to support a supply of cyanide pellets, such as indicated at 62, in the funnel plate 49. When the pellet valve 51 is lowered, the pellets 62 .drop into. an acid bathin' the mixing pot 48 to form the lethal gas for the execution.- The gas rises through the skirt gasket 50, the funnel plate 49, and the gas ports 47 to fill the interior of the chamber 20. I

The acid is supplied to the mixing pot 48 from an acid measuring sink 63 in the mixing room 16 through an acid pipe 64 discharging into the mixing pot 48- below the floor plate 21. The fiow of acid through the acid pipe 64 is controlled by means of an acid inlet valve 65 having a control handle 66 within reach of the operator in the mixing room 16. Acid can be discharged from the mixing pot through a pipe trap 67 and a discharge line 68 to the sewer. The discharge is controlled ,by an handle 73 which is actuated from a valve-actuating lever Thus, when th 74 mounted on the valve shaft 59. pellet valve 51 is closed, the riser valve 72 will be opened to allow the lethal gas to be drawn from the mixing pot 48 and dischargedto he st ck 4.6-

The condemned person is admitted to the chamber 20 hrough a d rway 75 formed .in th s th i o th cham r f ing the wardens room 13- The doorway is sealing gasket 76 against which a domed door 77 may be forced. The domed door 77 is supported on two hinge rms 78 ex en ing tr m fix hinge bra ke .9 on the hamber 20 to swinging hinge br cket .80 n the do r 77. The door 77, when closed, may be clamped into sealing engagement with the gasket'76'by means ofa" jack screw 81 operated fromia hand wheel 82. The jackscrew is threaded through a yoke 83 which is hingedly mounted on a hinge 84 positioned between the two hinge arms 78. The free extremity of the yoke 83 terminates in a hook 85 over Which'a swinging shackle 86 may be 'swung to secure the yoke to the chamber20 at the side of the doorway.

ri r t an x c t on the cyani e-pelle 62 are placed:

in position in the funnel plate 49 and the. proper "kind and amount of acid is placed in the measuring sink 63, the air valve 36 is opened and the exhaust fan44 started.

'The condemned person is placed in position and the door 77 is swung closed and clamped seal y means of the jack screw 81. The acid inlet valve 65 is now opened to allow the acid to fill the mixing pot 48 to the proper level and is then closed. The air valve 3 6.is

closed to create a partial vacuum within the chamber after which the damper valve 28 is closed. The. execution lever 57 is now operated to close the gas riser valve 72 and drop the pellets 62 into the acid to generate the lethal gas. The slight vacuum in the chamber quickly draws the lethal gas therein for execution purposes.

After the execution, the lever 57 is returned to former position, closing the pellet valve 51 and openingthe gas riser valve 72. The damper valve 28 and the air valve 36 are fully opened to allow fresh air tobe drawn into the manifold 34 and through the airopenings L stack 46.

The above described operation completely removes the lethal gas from the chamber and all operating containers and conduits. However, as an additional precaution, means are provided for supplyingneutralizing gas and vapor throughout the entire operating equipment.

acid discharge valve 69 having an operating hand wheel 1 The neutralizing reagents are supplied from a first.

reagent bottle 87, supported in a suitable bottle bracket 88 on the side of the chamber 20 adjacent the operator, and a second similar reagent bottle 89 positioned adjacent the measuring sink 63. The reagent bottles are similar and as illustrated in Fig. 10. Each bottle is provided with a compressible air bulb .90 for plaeing air under pressure above the fluid in the 'bottle and with a discharge tube 91 for discharging fluid from the bottle. The bottle contains a neutralizing fluid reagent such as ammonium hydroxide.

The first reagent bottle 87 discharges through an ammonia tube 92, controlled by a valve 93, to the air'manifold 34 adjacent the air valve 36. The second reagent 3 bottle 89 discharges through a similar tube 94, controlled surrounded on its exterior face by means of a peripheral by a valve 95, to the acid pipe 64 immediately below the sink 63.

Thus, it can be seen that if the armnoniavalves 93 and 95 are opened when the system is being evacuated as;

above described, ammonia or other neutralizing fluid will be supplied to the incoming air in the manifold ,and

to the incoming air in the acidpipe .64 to neutralige all l h l ga e in he y t Exc ss n u raliz ng fluid can be drained from the pipe .64 and the pot .48 tl 1r. t :n 1 gl i the discharge line 68 to the sewer. Excess fluid can be drained from the air manifold .34 through a drain tube V A manometer 98 is provided to indicate to the operator the degree of vacuum within the gehamher .20, 11: is

desi d o al a t ntion to th "fe t tha sine a sligh vacuum is maintained in the chamber during the periods when lethal gas is contained therein, the danger of gas leakage is eliminated. Should a leak develop air will enter the leak and no gas will escape.

A phenol-phthalein indicator 99 is also provided on and in communication with the chamber to indicate the toxity of the atmosphere therein and to inform the operator when it is safe to open the door after an execution.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A lethal gas execution device comprising: a sealed chamber; means for supplying lethal gas to said chamher when desired; means for closing off the supply of lethal gas; gas-tight means for gaining admission into said chamber; an air manifold partially surrounding said chamber; air ports communicating between said chamber and said manifold; valve means for admitting air to said manifold; a damper sleeve communicating with said chamber; a damper valve in said sleeve; an exhaust fan arranged to draw air through said damper sleeve when said damper valve is opened to draw air from said manifold to scavenge the gas from said chamber when desired; and means for supplying a gas-counteracting reagent to said air manifold.

2. A lethal gas execution device comprising: a closed chamber; an exhaust conduit, opening through the top of said chamber; means for drawing air through said conduit; a damper valve controlling the flow of air through said conduit; controllable means for admitting air to the lower portion of said chamber when desired; a gas port in the bottom of said chamber; a mixing pot sealed to said bottom below said gas port; a funnel plate sealed in said pot below said port and provided with an axially positioned throat opening; a conical pellet valve positioned in said throat opening to support a supply of gas-forming pellets in said funnel plate; means for supplying a liquid reagent to said pot; and means operable from the exterior of said chamber for lowering said pellet valve when desired to allow said pellets to fall through said throat opening into said liquid reagent for forming alethal gas.

3. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 2. having an annular flexible skirt gasket suspended from said throat opening and positioned to be contacted by and to seal against said conical pellet valve when the latter is raised.

4. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 3 in which the means for raising and lowering said pellet valve comprises: a lever arm positioned above said valve; a vertical valve stem secured to and arising [from said pellet valve and being hingedly suspended from said lever arm; spring means urging said lever arm upwardly to maintain said pellet valve normally closed; a valve operating shaft extending to the exterior of said chamber and being operatively connected to said.

lever arm within said chamber to actuate the latter; and an execution lever on the exterior of said chamber connected to said shaft for rotating the latter to lower said pellet valve.

5. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 3, having an exhaust gas riser pipe communicating between said mixing pot and said exhaust conduit to remove gas therefrom; a riser valve controlling the flow of gas through said riser pipe; and means for opening said riser valve in consequence of the closing of said pellet valve to exhaust gas from below said latter valve.

6. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 5 in which the means for opening said riser valve comprises: an operating lever mounted on said valve operat ing shaft; and means connecting said latter lever to said riser valve so that the latter will operate simultaneously with said pellet valve.

7. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 6 having means for admitting air to said mixing pot to scavenge and replace the gas being drawn therefrom through said riser pipe.

8. A lethal gas execution device comprising: a sealed chamber; means for supplying lethal gas to said chamher when desired; means for closing off the supply of lethal gas; an air manifold partially surrounding said chamber; air ports communicating between said chamber and said manifold; valve means for admitting air to said manifold; means for exhausting air from said chamber so as to draw air from said manifold through said ports to scavenge the gas from said chamber, said chamber being hexagonal in plan; a window in each of five sides of said chamber; a door opening in the sixth side of said chamber; and a door adapted to close said opening.

9. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 8 having a sealing gasket mounted on said chamber and surrounding said door opening; hinge means supporting said door; and clamping means clamping said door against said gasket when said door is closed.

10. A lethal gas execution device comprising: a closed chamber; an exhaust conduit, opening through the top of said chamber; means for drawing air through said conduit; a damper valve controlling the flow of air through said conduit; controllable means for admitting air to the lower portion of said chamber when desired; a gas port in the bottom of said chamber; a mixing pot sealed to said bottom below said gas port; a funnel plate sealed in said pot below said port and provided with an axially positioned throat opening; a conical pellet valve positioned in said throat opening to support a supply of gasforming pellets in said funnel plate; means for lowering said pellet valve when desired to allow said pellets to fall through said throat opening into said mixing pot; a measuring sink positioned exteri-orly of said chamber at a higher elevation than said mixing pot; an acid pipe extending from said sink to said pot for supplying a gas forming solution to said pellets by gravity; and an acid valve controlling the flow through said acid pipe.

11. A lethal gas execution device as described in claim 10 having means for supplying a gas-counteractant reagent to said acid pipe at a point adjacent said sink when I desired.

McCurrie Mar. 15, 1932 Liston Sept. 12, 1939 

